Is the KIA Seltos more reliable than the Toyota C-HR?

No, they are effectively tied. The Seltos has fewer owner complaints per 10,000 sold, 16.1 against 25.6 for the C-HR. But Seltos engines that burn oil and stall are a serious problem, while the C-HR's weak point is its CVT. Each has one major risk.

Which has more recalls, the Seltos or the C-HR?

The Seltos has slightly more. Federal recall records show 7 recalls across its 6 model years, against 6 across 5 model years for the C-HR. The gap is small, so recalls alone should not decide the choice. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls.

What is the most common C-HR problem?

The CVT. Owners describe a whine, hum, or growl that gets louder with speed, usually traced to a failed internal bearing. The fix is a full transmission, with quotes from over $10,000 to $14,000. Failures cluster between roughly 59,000 and 128,000 miles, often with no warning light.

Do Kia Seltos engines really burn oil?

Owner complaints say so. Engine is the largest Seltos problem area, with reports of oil disappearing between changes, then stalling, misfires, and power loss. Most failures landed between about 38,967 and 94,000 miles. Some owners were refused coverage for missing oil change records, so keep every receipt.

Which model years of the Seltos and C-HR should I avoid?

Avoid the 2021 and 2023 Seltos, and the 2018 and 2019 C-HR, which are the weakest years for each. The strongest are the 2025 and 2026 Seltos and the 2022 and 2021 C-HR. Newer cars have had less time to collect complaints, so treat that as partial evidence.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Kia Seltos vs Toyota C-HR: Reliability Compared

Kia Seltos

Good

More Reliable

Toyota C-HR

Good

The KIA Seltos and Toyota C-HR are effectively tied on reliability. The Seltos files fewer complaints per car sold, but engine oil loss is its trouble. The C-HR's main risk is a CVT bearing failure that can mean a full transmission replacement costing over $10,000.

How Do the Kia Seltos and Toyota C-HR Generations Compare?

Nearly every used example of either car comes from a first generation. The Seltos first generation ran from 2021 through 2026 in the US, with facelifts for 2022 and 2024. A second generation was listed for 2027 only, so shoppers choosing a used Seltos are looking at first-generation cars. The C-HR first generation ran from 2018 to 2022, with a facelift for 2020. The second generation appeared for 2023 only. Used C-HR buyers will mostly see first-generation cars, and the facelifted 2020 to 2022 years include the two strongest, 2021 and 2022.

Verdict

The Toyota C-HR is more reliable than the Kia Seltos, scoring 74/100 vs 73/100.

Effectively tied. Neither car pulls clearly ahead, because each has one serious weak spot. The Seltos draws fewer owner complaints per car sold, but its biggest cluster is engines that lose oil and stall, sometimes at highway speed. The C-HR draws more complaints per car sold, and most point to a CVT that fails with little warning and costs over $10,000 to fix. Pick based on which risk you can live with, and check the specific car's history.

Key Differences

1Kia Seltos has 9.5 fewer complaints per 10k sold
2Toyota C-HR scores 1 points higher in reliability
3Toyota C-HR has 1 fewer total recalls

Category Scoreboard

2Kia Seltos

—

2Toyota C-HR

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateSafety Rating

Kia Seltos vs Toyota C-HR: Which Is More Reliable?

Kia Seltos vs Toyota C-HR at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Kia Seltos	Toyota C-HR
Reliability Score	73/100	74/100
Years Tracked	6	5
Total Recalls	7	6
Complaints per 10k Sold	16.1	25.6
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2022 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	0	2

What Are the Common Problems With the Kia Seltos and Toyota C-HR?

Oil loss and stalling define the Seltos, while a failing CVT defines the C-HR. Seltos owners report oil vanishing between changes, then stalls, misfires, and in two filings an engine fire or an injury. Early transmission failures and shutdowns while driving also appear. Seltos electrical complaints include three crash-linked reports, and the C-HR has none in that area. The C-HR is more concentrated. Most complaints describe a whine or growl that ends in a failed bearing and a full transmission, usually with no warning light. Its power train area has four crash-linked reports, including parked cars rolling on their own. Both have reports of air bags not deploying in crashes.

Kia Seltos vs Toyota C-HR common problem areas comparison
Component	Kia Seltos	Toyota C-HR
POWER TRAIN	2.5Low	16High
ENGINE	5.5Average	0.9Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.9Low	3.3Average
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.2Low	1.8Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	1.6Low	—None
AIR BAGS	0.3Very Low	0.4Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.1Very Low	0.6Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.2Very Low	0.3Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.3Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
SEAT BELTS	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
PARKING BRAKE	—None	0.2Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	0.2Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.1Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY	0.1Very Low	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Kia Seltos vs Toyota C-HR Reliability Compare by Year?

Kia Seltos vs Toyota C-HR year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Kia Seltos	Toyota C-HR	Edge
2022	72/1001R / 69C	80/1000R / 2C	Toyota C-HR
2021	59/1002R / 346C	77/1001R / 32C	Toyota C-HR

Best years to cross-shop: The 2022 Kia Seltos scored 72/100 and the 2022 Toyota C-HR scored 80/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Kia Seltos vs the Toyota C-HR?

Choose the Seltos if you want the lower complaint rate and a newer car, and you will keep proof of every oil change. Owners say missing records got engine claims refused. Target 2025 or 2026 for the best standing, but remember newer years have had less time to collect complaints. Avoid 2021 and 2023, the weakest years. Check the oil level yourself before you buy and ask about the engine's service history. Choose the C-HR if you want to avoid the Seltos's oil-loss and stalling reports and can budget for a transmission risk. Target 2021 or 2022, the strongest years, and avoid 2018 and 2019. Listen on a test drive for a hum or growl that rises with speed, since failures cluster between roughly 59,000 and 128,000 miles. If you hear that noise, walk away. Quotes for a replacement run from over $10,000 to $14,000.

Kia Seltos vs Toyota C-HR: Common Questions

Is the KIA Seltos more reliable than the Toyota C-HR?: No, they are effectively tied. The Seltos has fewer owner complaints per 10,000 sold, 16.1 against 25.6 for the C-HR. But Seltos engines that burn oil and stall are a serious problem, while the C-HR's weak point is its CVT. Each has one major risk.
Which has more recalls, the Seltos or the C-HR?: The Seltos has slightly more. Federal recall records show 7 recalls across its 6 model years, against 6 across 5 model years for the C-HR. The gap is small, so recalls alone should not decide the choice. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls.
What is the most common C-HR problem?: The CVT. Owners describe a whine, hum, or growl that gets louder with speed, usually traced to a failed internal bearing. The fix is a full transmission, with quotes from over $10,000 to $14,000. Failures cluster between roughly 59,000 and 128,000 miles, often with no warning light.
Do Kia Seltos engines really burn oil?: Owner complaints say so. Engine is the largest Seltos problem area, with reports of oil disappearing between changes, then stalling, misfires, and power loss. Most failures landed between about 38,967 and 94,000 miles. Some owners were refused coverage for missing oil change records, so keep every receipt.
Which model years of the Seltos and C-HR should I avoid?: Avoid the 2021 and 2023 Seltos, and the 2018 and 2019 C-HR, which are the weakest years for each. The strongest are the 2025 and 2026 Seltos and the 2022 and 2021 C-HR. Newer cars have had less time to collect complaints, so treat that as partial evidence.

More Kia Seltos comparisons

Kia Seltos vs Mitsubishi Outlander reliability Kia Seltos vs Ford EcoSport reliability Kia Seltos reliability by year Kia Seltos years to avoid

More Toyota C-HR comparisons

Toyota C-HR vs Kia Niro reliability Toyota C-HR vs Jeep Renegade reliability Toyota C-HR vs Chevrolet Trailblazer reliability Toyota C-HR vs Buick Encore GX reliability Toyota C-HR reliability by year Toyota C-HR years to avoid

Decided between Kia Seltos and Toyota C-HR? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

Look Up a VIN →

How we score the Kia Seltos and Toyota C-HR

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

See incorrect data? Report an issue